US HHS chief removes top leaders of key preventive services panel
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed the two top leaders of a crucial preventive services panel last week, as he attempts to revamp its membership, reports BritPanorama.
The US Preventive Services Task Force plays a significant role in determining what preventive care, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, Americans can receive at no cost. However, it has not convened for over a year, leaving half of its 16 positions vacant.
This unexpected action comes as the Biden administration seeks new appointees for the task force, typically a process involving its current leaders. Their dismissal has sparked concerns regarding potential political interference, as Kennedy aims to assert greater control over the Department of Health and Human Services’ panels of independent medical experts.
Drs. John Wong of Tufts Medical Center and Esa Davis of the University of Maryland School of Medicine were informed of their removal through letters from Kennedy, stating the move was part of a review of task force appointments. Wong and Davis had served as chair and vice chair, respectively.
In a letter seen by CNN, Kennedy indicated, “The Department is taking this step to help protect the Task Force and preserve confidence in the continuity and durability of its work.”
The leaders were removed “to avoid uncertainty that could jeopardize the validity of future Task Force actions,” the letter further explained, although it did not detail specific risks.
Last year, the issue of task force appointments arose in a legal challenge before the US Supreme Court, which could have overturned the panel’s more recent recommendations. The justices ruled 6-3 that Kennedy and his predecessor had the authority to appoint the experts serving on the panel.
When approached for comments, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services referred to the letters issued to Wong and Davis.
Dr. Aaron Carroll, CEO of the nonprofit AcademyHealth, expressed that the terminations threaten the transparent, rigorous, and nonpartisan operations that the task force has upheld since its establishment in 1984. He emphasized that the panel’s credibility lies in its thorough and impartial review of scientific evidence, rather than any particular conclusions.
Carroll reiterated, “That, again, is not how you build trust and not how you build consistency and a belief the system is functioning as it should.”
The developments raise questions about the future dynamics of the task force and its ability to function without political influences, as calls for transparency and adherence to established processes grow louder.
